City Council to vote on water rate increase

City Council is scheduled to vote on an ordinance next weeklater this month that will increase water rates by an average of about 5 percent a year for the next several years.

The measure, (O-11-17) is scheduled to come up for a public hearing and final approval at the governing body’s April 10April 24 regular meeting. City Council is scheduled to have its monthly pre-meeting conference on Tuesday to set the agenda for the regular meeting. Note: The regular meeting originally was scheduled for April 10 but rescheduled for April 24 because of the Passover holiday.

The ordinance sets water rates for each year over the next five years:

April 1, 2017 – $48.62 per 1,000 cubic feet (kcf)

Jan. 1, 2018 – $51.05 per kcf

Jan. 1, 2019 – $53.60 per kcf

Jan. 1, 2020 – $56.28 per kcf

Jan. 1, 2021 – $59.09 per kcf

City Council initially introduced two ordinances at its regular meeting in February that would set new sewer rates (O-8-17) and new water rates (O-9-17). The ordinance related to setting new water rates had to be reintroduced due to some minor discrepancies in the original ordinance.